Dear Readers,

I really appreciate your support for my blog, and I hope that we can continue growing together for some time.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I now have a Facebook page for my photography brand, DR Photography, for all of you to enjoy.
On the page, I will post many of the photos I have taken over time, and will continue uploading photos in the future.

Here's the link to the page: https://www.facebook.com/DavidReichPhotography
Please head over there now and give me a like! Remember to share the page, and tell all your friends about it!

Thank you so much!

- Dave.

The Flow of Meaning: Life's Ultimate Dichotomy

There is a certain dichotomy in life with which we are all familiar: On the one hand, the individual events in our lives ebb and flow, wax and wane, come and go - but they never seem to really connect with each other in some meaningful, thematic way. However, on the other hand, when granted even only a few minutes to reflect on past events, and ponder their meaning, certain things begin to reveal themselves as common themes and motifs, big or small, which tend to permeate - and maybe even define - a group of events in our lives.

Are the events in our lives truly interconnected by some underlying dormant force, waiting to be discovered? And if so, to what degree is it our responsibility - let alone ability - to tie the events in our lives together?

In order to answer these questions, I will reference the photo in this post.

We have, what apears to be, some type of staircase. Yet, if one looks closely they will see that it is also little waterfall, a steady stream of water flowing down some stairs and into a pool.

At first glance, it is very possible that one could mistaken this staircase for a normal staircase. It pretty much resembles normal stairs. It's a bit blue, but who says staircases can't be blue?
Only upon further examination does one realize that the smooth surface is, in fact, a thin and steady layer of flowing water.

The stairs are, on the face of it, individual pieces which happen to be placed in such a way which form a staircase. But we know that someone built those stairs in that way specifically, to serve this specific function - it wasn't random. Every stair is there to serve those which utilize it to get to the next step, thereby rendering each stair a vital component of the general purpose of the staircase.

In this case, the beneficiary of the staircase is water, a free-flowing substance which is restricted only by the shape of its container or the mode of its movement. Therefore, it immediately conforms to the shape of the stairs as it makes its way down, thus providing the illusion that it's not there at all. Only occasionally are little ripples or bubbles visible on the surface.

Now, here's the explanation:

The events of our lives are the stairs - each of them a vital step to get to the next stair, the next event, the next experience. The synergy of all the stairs forms a cohesive picture, a common purpose. The same truth applies to our lives - every one of us has a number of themes or purposes in our lives which are defined by the combined meaning of  the things which happen to us.

But actually figuring out what those themes are is the difficult part - the meaning behind each event is hidden in plain sight - it's the clear water flowing over the stairs. Sometimes we get lucky, we see a little ripple or a bubble - the event's meaning is more readily accessible. However, most of the time, we have to look hard to notice a common theme flowing through every event in our lives.

But once we are able to see something - the entire picture starts to reveal itself. 

Once we are able to form clearer definitions of who we are and what purpose we are striving towards, we can then look into our past for lost meaning, and be better armed for future events.
We'll know what to look for, and we'll be more perceptive to discover even more - about our experiences, about our lives, about the world.

- PH

A Canvas for the Heart - Understanding Physicality

As we all know, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' The traditional understanding of this popular adage says that each person perceives beauty in their own, unique way. However, when we really think about it, life isn't an experience derived from mere sight alone. Rather, it is the combination - and cooperation - of all our senses, processed by the mind and deepened by the heart to form a wholesome and multifaceted picture. Therefore, it would only hold true that if one wishes to maximize the quality of their life experiences, they must tune in to their senses - both individually and as a group - and get in touch with the true meaning of what they are picking up. Only then will it be possible to bring meaning to our interaction with the physical world, instead of it being just a mundane and obvious element of our existence.

 Ultimately, we want to be able to bridge the gap between our souls and the physical world which surrounds us.

Recently, I had an experience which brought this concept to light - literally.

We were just wrapping up our little barbeque, when my friends and I savored the last few moments of a fantastic day at the beach. As the sun began to fell, a silence started to set in as the crashing of the waves subsided. A cool breeze fluttered against my bare skin.
Then, in what I perceived as only a matter of seconds, the skies illuminated into a glorious aurora of red, orange and blue tones, painting a breathtaking masterpiece in front of our very eyes. As clouds changed shape and moved across the sky, new colors started emerging, creating new medleys of vibrant hues every second. It was like watching an Impressionist painting being formed, stroke by stroke, detail by detail, color by color.

As this beautiful phenomenon unfolded before me, I could still feel the cool and sharp breeze whisking by my face, carrying with it the refreshing aroma of the sea. Accompanying all this, was the subtle ambiance of the relaxing, pulsating waves slowly rolling onto the shore.

It was a powerful moment. And all I wanted to do was capture it, take some of it for myself, and keep it stored forever in a safe place that no one can touch or see other than me. I wanted this experience to be - mine.
I knew that there was some deep message written in the patterns in the sky, communicated through the breeze, the soft waves, and the ocean's aroma.
I knew this experience had held some personal significance - it was trying to tell me something. I didn't figure it out then, and I'm still trying to figure it out now. But the point is that I was able to capture the experience inside myself. It forever lies in me, and will always be there for me to recall, reinterpret, relive.

That day, my senses, as a whole, were a Canvas for the Heart, vessels through which my feelings, passions, dreams, and goals can interact with the outside world. The depths of my soul were now the experiences of reality. The world around me and the world inside me were one.


I beseech all of you to take advantage of what you have - G-d bestowed upon us an amazing gift - the ability to sense. He didn't do this for no reason - He wants us to interact with the world around us which He created, so that we can draw personal and unique meaning into our lives. If we don't realize this, we will close ourselves off to an entire dimension of meaning, hope and inspiration. And possibly even more crucially, we will close ourselves off to an entire dimension of ourselves.

"The senses are our bridge between the incomprehensible and the comprehensible."
- August Macke
                                                                                                                   
 - PH

Footprints in the Sand - The Other Side

Most of us are familiar with Mary Stevenson's poem "Footprints in the Sand." Her poem primarily focuses on guidance from G-d and seeking help from a higher power during times of need and distress.

However, this idea has a flip-side, which can also be expressed through the metaphor of the footprints in the sand.

Often enough, we feel relatively confident in our own efforts in life. We put in what we put in, and then we expect results - or, at least, some type of meaningful response to our actions. For every task or mission we do, big or small, we set a predetermined amount of personal effort we will need to put in, and once we reach that quota, we tell ourselves "it's out of my hands now."

But if we are really honest with ourselves, and we take a broader look at the patterns of our lives and our nature, I believe we will find that we more often than not set the bar a little too low for ourselves.
After all is said and done, we look back, and everything seems to be a mush - indiscernible, vague outlines of what we accomplished. The essence of what we did in the past is lost with the past, as the new cycles and rhythms of life set in and take course - designating all that wasn't preserved properly to memory, instead of preserving our past accomplishments as everyday realities.

Every step we take in our life - big or small - is a footprint in the sand. However, if we do not take strong, deep, and meaningful strides which really create an impression on the sand - that is, our life's big picture - then the next set of waves will come and wash those footprints away.

Our challenge as spirited and capable people, dedicated to ourselves and the world around us - is to make lasting footprints on the ever-changing beach of life. Because when we near the end of our stroll along this shore, and we take a moment to recall what we did, we should be able to turn around and draw a clear line of footprints all the way back to where we started - back to our roots, our childhood, and back to the very first steps we took in defining ourselves in this vast beach we call the world.

And perhaps, if we can create our own set of lasting footprints, G-d, too, can accompany us with His set as well.

I wish you all good tidings and good stridings.

- PH

The Violin of Idiosyncrasy

We are constantly in a battle. Whether we are aware of it or not, from the moment we breath the air of this earth, we are entered into a competition which will be the drive for everything we do. It's us against every other person in the world.
Everyone is trying to be themselves, but the problem is that we share a relatively small world, one that is rapidly growing and is less capable of supporting such a diverse group of passionate and driven individuals. There's just not enough energy, not enough time, not enough room. Therefore, it necessitates the masses to follow common trends and routes in life, in order to simplify and more efficiently manage the human population.

What does this mean for us? In a world like today's, and especially in the world that will be handed to our children in a few years - what will happen to individuality, and the personal escapades into our own, unique genius and flair - the ones which are key ingredients to developing truly great people?

What is the responsibility of our generation? What can we do to preserve the "me" of humanity, in order that it not be lost completely for our kids in the next generation?

I think the answer lies in the image inside this post. Take a look at the picture: Why is the musician emphasized? Why can we only see him clearly, vibrant and alive - while the swarm of other people just blur and fade out, as if they weren't significant in some way?
The answer is because this musician has accepted the challenge and responsibility upon himself. He realizes that the state of humanity may radically change, and wishing to preserve his individual spirit, he fights for the two things he believes to be truths in this world - himself and his music.
Standing in the middle of the bustling Shuk (market) in Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon, and NOT pushing his way through a crowd to pick up some dried fish or a bag of candies, and instead deciding to stop his world and play his violin - is his way of telling the world: "Don't forget who you are...and you, and you, and you... Never lose yourself in a mindless routine lifestyle, and instead locate that which defines you - and run after it!"

When we take a second to figure out - even vaguely - why we are what we are, and where we want to be, and not where society and its restrains want us to be - we can pave the way to the development of true excellence and greatness within us - which we can then feed back into our societies, ultimately benefiting everyone in it. It isn't about rebelling against anything or anyone - it's about embracing yourself while still functioning within the system you are given to work with.

You have a name. You have a fingerprint. And it's not a coincidence - it's a sign to everyone of us that we have something NEW and UNIQUE to give to the world. Now let's go find it.

- PH

Bridge over Troubled Perceptions

Have you ever had a dream where you were wandering through an immense forest all alone, in search for something important? No? Well, me neither. But now that the image is in your head, I would like to indulge you, dear audience, with the microcosmic effects of our minds and imagination.

You see, the forest which our minds have now generated is, in truth, a reflection of how we perceive our life environment - the entire picture of our current struggles, past memories, and future aspirations all depicted as a single three dimensional space, in the form of a forest.

In fact, I believe that whenever we are stimulated to imagine ourselves within a hypthotical environment, we render that environment in a way which reflects our real-life perception of who we are, and the world around us.

So why do I bring this up?

Well, in this fantastically complicated and peculiar experience we term as "life," there exists a myriad of possibilities - most of which we are in full control of, due to the moment-to-moment choices we encounter. So, in theory, all we have to do is draw out some kind of general, long-term plan or route, and make our current choices line up with route we carved out for ourselves. Then, naturally, the clutter of every other possible turn you could make clears away, and voilà - you're on your way.

But - we all know that there's something about this theory which never seems to work out. And I believe the reason why we can't expect to control our lives in the manner aforementioned, is because when we are placed in the vast, endless forest of life, we get caught up and carried away in all the possible directions we can go. The clutter of possibilities and options overwhelm our mental and emotional stability to the point that we just tell our feet to take us wherever they please.

This is why it is absolutely crucial for anyone who is even vaguely interested in clearing up some of that clutter and simplifying their trajectory to proactively influence what we see and what we don't - to render our forest only with the things which pertain to who we are, and our goals.

How does one do this?

Before setting off - before we make any final decisions about what we want out of life - we have to locate that one area of our personality, our character, our nature, which defines us more than anything else. Therefore, when we open our eyes, we will find that the majority of the things that are visible to us are only the things which will facilitate who WE are. As a result, the number of visible items will decrease rapidly, the clutter begins to recede, and our lives will rapidly start simplifying themselves.

In a sense, we have to find within the deep forest our "Bridge over Troubled Perceptions."

This bridge will allow us to traverse across the impassable terrain which is the countless number of life choices which do not need to bog us down. This bridge will provide a means to stay straight, face forward, and gaze ahead - ahead into the life of our dreams.

- PH

Tree Sap and Perpetual Motion

No, that's not a delicious drop of honey. Nor is it the tear of G-d (like you were even thinking that).
This is tree sap, the beautiful yet essential transport system used by plants to move nutrients throughout its structure.

I'll be honest, I would have totally not noticed it had it not stuck to my pants as I brushed by, causing me to spend the next 5 minutes or so trying to get it off. This stuff defines sticky.

But regardless, something about it struck me. It was this beautiful, golden substance, carrying precious materials to the rest of the tree. Yet...it wasn't. The sap had stopped it's free fall along the side of the tree. It was frozen in time, unable to continue along its path and on to complete its intended mission. It yearns for a chance to restart, to release its stored potential and continue the process of nature and life.

The very same phenomenon can occur to our dreams.

In the previous post, I talked about how we all the ability to transcend time and conventional dimensionality by creating internal "environments".
But the other the day, a though came to mind which made me think about the other side of the coin: Why is it that sometimes we feel like we are stuck in an endless loop of routine actions, in an abyss of time with no context, floating through the expansive space of our life without trajectory or thrust?

Why do we tend to feel...unconnected?

Well, perhaps it's because someone tried to implement what I suggested in my last post, and now they're hopelessly stuck in a fantasy world where they are convinced they actually exist, only to lose their sense of reality in the real word, and it's all my fault. But I would rather not think that. And besides, that would be a failed implementation of my suggestion; what I suggested was to incorporate that perspective into our existing reality, not substitute it out.

But if we look closer into the matter, I think, more often than not, we will reveal the root of the problem, which I would like to call "perpetual motion."

We set goals. Then we make a plan. And then....we set off. Our journey to whatever we set as the destination has begun on its predetermined path.

But...is that it? Is that how we do things in life, how we get places, and expect to move forward?

Perhaps the reason why we feel a bit dazed and unconnected to our pursuits on a constant, moment-to-moment basis is because we are not continuously applying a constant feed of energy and motivation into our lives. We think our job ends once we make the plans and set off, but the truth is: Our job has no quitting time. If we are not always an active player in our own pursuits, goals, dreams and aspirations - even on a daily, moment-to-moment basis - then we cannot expect to get to where we want to be, at least in one lifetime.

This is perpetual motion.
       

We learn from the tree sap that everyone has truly beautiful - and crucial - things to give to humanity and the world. The world CANNOT go on without these things provided by each and every one of us, nor can it reach its full splendor without them. 

Therefore, it is OUR responsibility - as members of this group called humanity - to constantly be pushing ourselves toward our goals, and to never press the "Autopilot" button - not even for one second.

So. Let's do this. Together we WILL release the sap from its longing pain, and together we will follow through with our dreams and release them to the world.

- PH

Personal Universes: The Muti-Dimensional Bouquet

This past Friday, I went to Har Hertzel, a cemetery for fallen Israeli soldiers, located in Jerusalem. As the tour guide told over stories of some of the individuals buried there, my eyes, along with my brain started wandering off.
Then something caught my eye. In the distance I could see something sticking out one of the graves. So I made my way over there to get a closer look: a fresh, vibrant bouquet of flowers with a blood-red ribbon tied on the front. Sure, other graves had flowers and other items on or around them - but this one was different. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something ethereal yet comforting about this bouquet.

I had this image in my head. I really wanted to believe that there was a man who lost his wife. And since her death, at the end of every week, this man would bring a new bouquet of flowers to her grave, packaged in a big red ribbon. It was his way of connecting back with his loved one, of continuing their deep and intimate conversations, of continuing to build the world that their souls created together.

This man understood that nothing - not even death - can disrupt the bond they formed while she was alive.

And this got me thinking: is our experience in this world limited to what we can physically perceive to be reality? Or do we actually have the ability to create new worlds within ourselves, develop them, build them, and connect with them?

I would like to believe the latter to be true. Because if can accept that as at least a vague possibility - just imagine what kind of new experiences we can open ourselves up to.

Sometimes we look for answers, and we come to the conclusion that we just didn't get one, or we couldn't find one. But maybe, just maybe, those answers lay within ourselves - within the potential universe we have yet to create within.

The man with the flowers (who, as of now, was an invention of my own imagination) faced a new challenge: his wife was no longer around. But that didn't stop him from feeling like he needed to present her with a new bouquet of flowers every week - why? Because, in truth, she really wasn't totally gone - not from him, at least. He created an environment inside himself through which he can still communicate with her. And then they just picked up where they left off.

We are complex, intricate, and beautiful beings. And we tend to underestimate our ingenuity. So why don't we start unlocking some of that potential, and allow our eyes to peer through time and dimension, and begin our journey to new and unseen worlds, waiting to be discovered.

- David Reich.

**P.S. After publishing this post, I realized that what I wrote strongly resembles a short film. This short film is called "Visiting Hours," and it is directed and edited by my sister, Shantal Reich. It's an awesome short film. Seriously. Check it out here: http://vimeo.com/84825596 (Password: daisies)

Remembering 9/11: Why do we reflect?

To all those who fell, and to all those who fought for the fallen. Here's to the memory of the victims of the 9/11 attacks 13 years ago today.
I remember that day. Everyone does. Ask anyone and they'll tell you exactly what they were doing when they heard the horrible news. I was about 7 years old at the time. That morning I was sitting at my kitchen table, just getting my bowl of cereal brimmed with milk, when the television switched on. What then ensued was confusion, panic, and hopelessness. There it was: the New York skyline saturated with black smoke, the sounds of people shrieking. It was a nightmare that everyone was having, together.

A lot has changed since that day. America has changed, and so have I. But I still think that every year we can glean something new from 9/11. It's not just about reliving an event in history, and reminding ourselves of our pain. Looking back at a tough experience is about understanding yourself more deeply, and seeing how that event led to another which led to another which led to you, the you which is reading this post right now, in the current day, with all your beautiful flaws and shiny bits all mixed together. It led to your identity.

Let's take this time now to look back at something hard we went through in the past. Maybe it was 13 years ago, maybe it was 13 days ago. But when we do, let's try to draw the line from the you then to the you now. Why is there a disconnect between the old and new you? Because there were events in between you two. Good ones and bad ones. But all of them shaped the you which is now. So embrace that, be proud, and don't be afraid to declare: "I am strong!" - because you are. You made it here. You can make it anywhere.

Go get 'em.

The Typewriter

Certainly a rare find, here we have an original Hebrew typewriter. I found this in my friend's cousins house amongst his collection of other antique items.
A typewriter is a very simple machine, when it comes down to it. However, in its heyday, it was the backbone of expression. It was this machine that allowed the masses to have their say in the conversation. People could run their businesses more efficiently. It also went on to become a symbol of American women in the workplace, as these clanky things started showing up on secretaries' desks across the nation.
But most importantly, it represents the diligence and patience of a generation bygone. Nowadays, this relic would have no place in our fast-paced, media-driven, and touchscreen-enabled lives. Primarily this is due to the efficiency demands and the technology surges of the past 20 years. But the other reason why it wouldn't fit is simply because it represents an aspect of our humanity which we have mostly subdued: patience.
So take a moment. Imagine your fingers sliding over the cold, metal, crisp mold of a typewriter key. The perfectly mechanical sound when a key is depressed. Put on your late-1800s garb and submerge yourself in a world you never existed.
Maybe it'll do something for you.

Simplicity Enables: Post #1

I would like to kick off with a simple photo. The lack of discernible elements in this picture makes for a strong effect. Less to distinguish, define, understand. It just flows directly to the observer. I believe that this represents one of the most basic shortcomings we all have in our lives: we lack simplicity. Or rather, we tend to not view things in the simple form that they are. If we can look at things occasionally in a more non-complex, simple, and basic perspective we allow things to settle more smoothly in our lives. By pushing out the clutter, we can actually point to what it is important to us. 

Photo taken on the Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR

Welcome to the blog!

 

Hey everybody,
                                   and welcome to my blog, Priceless Humanity.  For most of us, life is a series of events, all cobbled together and strewn across a set timeline, called our lifetime. When we encounter an event, we experience it, maybe reflect on it, and then move on. And more often than not, we tell ourselves that the things which our eyes happen to see are not significant unless we planned to see what we did, or unless we can quickly identify personal meaning within what we saw. The people we meet, the places we see - all are just "sidenotes" to a bigger work: we believe that we have some vague, life-long pursuit, and anything that doesn't appear to support it or move it forward is secondary and insignificant. We separate our daily lives and our daily sightings from our perceived "long-term goals," and we lose touch with the now, the here, the tangible.

 The purpose of this blog is to take what we see around us and give it context in our individual life pursuits. The people, places, and objects that meet our eyes all have something to say directly to us - to our souls. When we slow down and listen, we start seeing our world in a completely new light, and the little things, the details, start aligning themselves with who we are.



For each photo I upload, I will write a short paragraph in which I will attempt to connect the content of the photo to some deeper message that we can all relate to and apply to our individual goals and dreams.

At the current moment I am in Israel. Therefore, most of my uploads will be pictures that I take in Israel. But I will upload pictures from elsewhere as well.

There is so much around us - and it's all free. By taking a little time to connect to some of it, we can really benefit ourselves in ways we never knew possible. It really is Priceless Humanity.

I hope you all can find a personal place in this blog, and that together we can use every moment and every detail to push us to new heights.

Happy blogging,

- David Reich.